Team:NJTech China
TAT BATTLE : NJT0401
NJT0401, A bifunctional fusion protein with significant potential in immunotherapy
NJT0401 is a novel investigational fusion protein being developed to treat Triple Negative Breast Cancers. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA sequencing data showed significantly greater expression of the PD-L1 gene in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).
How NJT0401 works
As a fusion protein (made from a fusion gene created by joining parts of two different genes with a linker), NJT0401 is designed to block signaling pathway commonly used by cancer cells to avoid being destroyed by the immune system, and to promote the T-cell proliferation. NJT0401 consists of a monoclonal antibody against a protein called programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) linked to the extracellular domain of the human interleukin 2 (IL-2). Upon administration, the PD-L1 monoclonal antibody part of NJT0401 binds PD-L1 while the IL-2 part binds to and neutralizes IL-2 receptor. This prevents PD-L1-mediated signaling, and increases T-cell-mediated immune response against cancer cells, ultimately inhibiting tumor cell growth.
